Today in Cairo hundreds of thousands of protesters peacefully gathered to urge Mubarak to step down from his 30 year reign in Egypt. Over the weekend, President Barack Obama sent Frank Wisner as his personal envoy to tell Mubarak that his time is over. This evening, Mubarak spoke via a televised address and declared that he will not seek another term. Elections are scheduled for the fall. In Tahrir Square, Mubarak's words were not enough. The massive crowd chanted "Erhal! (Leave!) Erhal! ( Leave!)" A US official told BBC's Kim Ghattas that Mubarak's announcement was not enough for the Obama administration either. From the White House, President Obama said that a transition in Egypt "must begin now".
January 31, 2011 Interview with anti-Mubarak protester in Tahrir Square, Cairo
Interview by Zero Silence from a forthcoming documentary.
Iran 2010 Part Three of The "Green Movement Digital Paintings" - Digital Paintings, Video & Music by Soheil Tavakoli
Soheil Tavakoli was born on April 17th, 1968 in Tehran, Iran. Soheil became an artist and architect in Iran until he left for the United States in 2004. Tavakoli explains that "he left Iran for the United States in search of a more dynamic and understanding society."
Sussan Deyhim sings at the United for Iran Rally at UCLA on July 25, 2009. Sussan Deyhim's set was the most soul stirring moment of the evening. I could feel Rumi under the evening sky. A crescent moon hung above us giving this gathering for Iran a celestial blessing.
U2 performing Sunday Bloody Sunday during their 360 degrees world tour in Dublin on July, 24th, 2009.
As the song Sunday Bloody Sunday opens, U2 now scrolls the lyrics from the Rumi poem Azadi. The word Azadi itself simply means Freedom. U2 is supporting Artists 4 Freedom by using the Rumi poem which provides the lyrics to Dj Spooky and Sussan Deyhim's new track, Azadi (The New Complexity). U2's multimedia screens mash together the lyrics to Azadi along with photos of the protestors in Iran and artworks by Shirin Neshat. Inspiring stuff.
Azadi (The New Complexity) is a song based on a classic poem by Rumi, one of the poet laureates of Iran’s still vibrant poetic legacy.
Here is the original poem translated into English
SHOW ME YOUR FACE by Rumi
i crave flowers and gardens
open your lips i crave the taste of honey
come out from behind the clouds i desire a sunny face
your voice echoed saying “leave me alone” i wish to hear your voice again saying “leave me alone”
i swear this city without you is a prison i am dying to get out to roam in deserts and mountains
i am tired of flimsy friends and submissive companions
i am blue hearing nagging voices and meek cries i desire loud music drunken parties and wild dances
one hand holding a cup of wine one hand caressing your hair then dancing in orbital circle that is what i yearn for
i can sing better than any nightingale but because of this city’s freaks i seal my lips while my heart weeps
yesterday the wisest man holding a lit lantern in daylight was searching around town saying
i am tired of all these beast and brutes i seek a true human
we have all looked for one but no one could be found they said
yes he replied but my search is for the one who cannot be found
Artists 4 Freedom is international in scope and is located between London, Barcelona, Lisbon and Berlin. Link Below: Artists 4 Freedom
As a member of Artists 4 Freedom, I ask you to create a poem, a painting, a song for Iran and join the cause. The world is coming together in support of Iran.
(And a special message to Little Steven. Little Steven is touring right now as a member of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band. But Little Steven is also an amazing political songwriter who helped bring down apartheid in South Africa with his song Sun City and openly dreamed of a free Berlin, when others labeled him as naive, in his heartbreaking song Checkpoint Charlie. Little Steven, Artists 4 Freedom needs you to write a song for Freedom in Iran.)
I am eager to share with you an interview I did with Artists 4 Freedom on my paintings for Iran. Artists 4 Freedom is international in scope and is located between London, Barcelona, Lisbon and Berlin,
Here's the link. Please feel free to comment on the site.
